This invention relates to a novel composition of matter which possesses potent antidepressant activity as a serotonin uptake inhibitor while avoiding the usual detrimental factors, unwanted effects and adverse toxic or psychological effects associated with such agents. Also disclosed are methods of using said composition to treat depression while avoiding the usual detrimental factors, unwanted effects and side effects associated with such agents.
The invention further relates to a novel composition of matter containing optically pure S(+) fluoxetine which has activity as a weight loss agent while avoiding the usual detrimental factors, unwanted effects, and adverse toxic or psychological effects which are associated with the racemic mixture of fluoxetine. In addition, these compositions possess potent activity in the treatment of migraine headaches, pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, while avoiding the usual detrimental factors, unwanted effects and adverse toxic or psychological effects associated with the racemic mixture of fluoxetine. Also disclosed are methods of using these novel compositions of matter to treat migraine headaches, pain, obsessive-compulsive disorders and obesity or weight gain in a human by administering pure S(+) fluoxetine. These methods also avoid the usual detrimental factors, unwanted effects, and adverse toxic or psychological effects associated with administration of the racemic mixture of fluoxetine.
The active compound of this composition and method is an optical isomer of the compound fluoxetine which is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,895 and 4,194,009 to Molloy, et al. Chemically, this isomer is (+)N-methyl-3-phenyl-3-[(.alpha.,.alpha.,.alpha.-trifluoro-p-tolyl)oxy]-pr opylamine, herein after referred to as S(+) fluoxetine.